Novalis

Novalis was a German symphonic-rock band that debuted with the 1973 Brain release Banished Bridge. After the departure of vocalist Jürgen Wenzel, they issued five further Brain albums, peaking in popularity with the 1976/77 albums Sommerabend and Brandung. After their 1978 release Vielleicht bist du ein Clown?, they issued six further albums on assorted labels (Ahorn, Vertigo, Teldec) between 1979 and 1985.

Members: Jürgen Wenzel (vocals, 1971-73), Heino Schünzel (bass, vocals, 1971-80), Lutz Rahn (organ), Hartwig Biereichel (drums), Carlo Karges (guitar, 1971-75), Fred Mühlböck (vocals, 1976-84), Detlef Job (guitar, 1973-85), Ernst Herzner (vocals, 1984-85), Hinrich Schneider (bass, 1983-85)

The band formed in 1971 as Mosaik when singer Jürgen Wenzel and bassist Heino Schünzel placed an ad in a Hamburg newspaper. They were joined by drummer Hartwig Biereichel and organist Lutz Rahn. Biereichel hailed from Greenlight, which had four songs included on the 1970 Somerset compilation Love and Peace.

Soon after the entrance of ex-Tomorrow’s Gift guitarist Carlo Karges, Mosaik adopted the name Novalis, the pen name of 18th century German Romantic poet and mystic Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg.

Discography:

• Banished Bridge (1973)
• Novalis (1975)
• Sommerabend (1976)
• Brandung (1977)
• Konzerte (live 2LP, 1977)
• Vielleicht bist du ein Clown? (1978)
• Flossenengel (1979)
• Augenblicke (1980)
• Neumond (1982)
• Sterntaucher (1983)
• Bumerang (1984)
• Nach uns die Flut (1985)

Sources:

• Discogs: Novalis